To Love and be Loved
by KatieMacisNerdy
Summary: Post OoTP. Harry has found love, but it isn’t with whom you would think. It is with a girl he barely knew till 3rd year, and she has stolen his heart. FIRST FIC
1. school memories

This is my first fic, please Read and review

Post OoTP. Harry has found love, but it isn't with whom you would think. NOT SLASH.

This is my first fic, please Read and review! This is Harry reminiscing about his years at Hogwarts. This is necessary due to new characters. Next chapter will be different.

Warning: this is anti Ginny.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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Harry leaned back against his pillows, deep in thought. He was thinking about the last six years at Hogwarts. They had been some of the best and worst years of his life. He had met so many people, but one person stood out. A girl. Her name is Katie McCarran.

In his first years at Hogwarts he had little to do with Katie. She was very thin, with shiny brunette hair reaching the middle of her back. She walked up to the stool when her name was called, her steps unsure. She was sorted into Gryffindor, just as he was, except one voice was heard over the cheering. It was a loud, attention-grabbing whoop followed by a slow loud clap. Everyone in the Great Hall turned toward the Gryffindor table. The culprit was a second year boy who Harry later learned was Katie's brother, Sean McCarran. Harry remembered feeling a little sorry for Katie as she turned bright red, ducked her head and made her way quickly to the table, sitting well away from her brother. Harry barely saw her after that except in charms and potions, where she only spoke when addressed by a teacher. Professor Flitwik seem to be fond of her, but Snape loved to torment her, asking difficult questions in front of the class, causing her to turn red. If she mumbled Snape would take points from Gryffindor, even if the answer were correct, which it was most of the time. In and out of class, she was always with her best friend, Catherine Sylvia, who was always trying to get Katie to come out of her shell and talk to others, with little avail.

In his second year Harry had been so preoccupied with the heir of Slytheren that he didn't pay attention to anyone but his friends. The only time he remembered seeing Katie was when one day she walked up to him, and to his surprise, actually spoke to him. It was the day after Justin was attacked, and almost everyone was avoiding him. She looked at the floor and spoke so quietly he had to lean in to hear. She said, "Harry, I just wanted you to know that I don't think you are the one attacking people. I know that people have been giving you a hard time, but don't let it get to you. Eventually everyone will see that you wouldn't do anything like this." Harry was so shocked that he didn't say anything, which sent Katie hurrying away in embarrassment. He quickly got a hold of himself and yelled after her, "Thank you Katie!" She stopped, gave him a quick smile, and kept going, a little more calmly.

It was third year when Harry began feeling differently about Katie. When he saw her at the feast, he was shocked. Katie had cut her long hair so it just brushed her shoulders, and she had grown in height as well as in other noticeable ways. But the biggest change was that she now had an air of confidence. She seemed completely at ease as she talked with Catherine and, to Harry's surprise, Ron and Hermione. Hermione saw him looking and waved him over. Harry began to walk over, but suddenly Ginny was on his arm pulling him towards the table saying, "Oh Harry please come sit by me! I feel SO much safer when I know you are around to protect me!" Harry rolled his eyes and looked pleadingly over at Hermione, who seeing his plight brought the group over to the table. In the confusion of making room for people and everyone sitting, Katie ended up next to Harry. She flashed him a big smile and said "Hi Harry! Did you have a good summer?" Harry was amazed with Katie's transformation from an extremely shy little girl who barely talked to this confident young woman. He didn't even notice Ginny's jealous glare as he had a long conversation with Katie about their summers and everything else either of them could think of. He was marveling at how much they had in common and having a really good time that is till Ginny rudely interrupted. Ginny said, "So Harry why don't you tell HER how you saved ME from the chamber of secrets?" Harry had had enough. All the letters over the summer, Ginny never letting go of him while getting schoolbooks, her telling everyone on the Hogwarts express how he saved her, and now this. Everyone watched in shock as Harry rounded on Ginny, exclaiming, "I'm sure everyone in the school knows the way you've been talking! I would never have thought a traumatic experience would give someone bragging rights! I would have done it for ANYONE. I don't call saving someone from a madman and a monster a declaration of love! Now stop acting like you have some sort of claim on me!" All of the surrounding people had gone silent. Ginny broke that silence by standing up and storming off. This was a turning point for Harry's whole year. He and Katie were fast friends, and she supported him with the Sirius Black issues, even staying behind from Hogsmeade with him. They would have long conversations, talking about classmates, teachers, and things they worried about. Harry knew that Katie was someone he could trust. She told him that she was a metamorphagus (A/N sorry if spelled wrong) and how she worried that people would think she was a freak. He even told her the truth about Sirius; though he was worried she wouldn't believe him. But Katie took every word for fact. She didn't treat him like someone who needed to be coddled or like a celebrity. She treated him like a friend. More than a friend.

With fourth year came the Triwizard tournament. Harry felt like the world was against him; even Ron seemed to hate him. But Harry had support. He had Hermione and Katie. Katie rarely left his side, defending him from any who said he cheated or was a liar. They would study together with Hermione after everyone else was in bed. But then one night, Hermione suddenly decided she was too tired to study. Hermione too tired to study? Harry knew something was up, and by Katie's expression, she did too. But as they talked together, Harry didn't care, he even considered thanking Hermione. Now everything was perfect. The crackling fire, forgotten homework, the deep conversation. Harry looked into Katie's eyes and didn't even think. He slowly leaned forward and gently kissed Katie on the lips. For one moment time stopped, everything was silent. Harry pulled back and looked at her. Was she angry he did that? Did she like it? His doubt disappeared as Katie leaned in and kissed him. Heat filled his veins. All of his problems were forgotten. He held her and he never wanted to let go. He wanted the moment to last forever. Then the clock chimed 2 O'clock, startling them out of bliss. The moment was over, but the feelings were not forgotten.

The first though that comes with fifth year is Umbridge. She made so many rules that even touching someone could get you detention, and that meant the blood quill. But with rules come rebellion. The DA gave people freedom as well as knowledge. Often Harry and Katie would linger after the meetings to be alone. Harry often felt that it was those moments that kept him going. The affectionate touches, the passionate kisses. With all the madness the rest of the time he thought he might go mad. Though there was one good thing, Harry convinced Katie to go out for quiddich. Her brother had said she was a great chaser. But she was reluctant. It wasn't until Harry saw Katie's broom that he understood why she didn't want to get it out. It wasn't a cleansweep or any other generic brand. It was a Firebolt, identical to the one Harry had. Harry suddenly understood. He knew that Katie never wanted people to think she was showing off, which is one reason she never uses her metamorphing. When people saw the Firebolt, murmuring went through the crowd, which caused Katie to blush scarlet, something she hadn't done in a long time. When a 4th year asked her where she got it, a loud jeering voice rang out over the crowd, "She probably stole it! It wouldn't be the first time she stole something that belonged to someone else!" It was Ginny. Ginny hadn't talked to Harry much since that day 2 years before, but it was widely known she was jealous of Katie's relationship with him. Katie didn't let Ginny get to her. she said calmly, "It was a gift from my family. It wasn't stolen, I haven't stolen anything that belonged to anyone. If I were you Ginny, I wouldn't go around lying, it's not attractive." Ginny had no response. With a seething glare she left the field. The tryouts went without a hitch after that. Katie did fantastic, and made the team. The whole team worked great together and they won the cup though it didn't matter in the end. The incident at the ministry finally showed everyone that Voldemort had returned. Katie and the others had fought along side Harry, and now the ministry was talking action because of them.

Harry sighed. His grief for Sirius burned in him, but he wasn't alone. Harry sat up and looked around. He wasn't in the smallest room at his uncle's house, nor was he in the room he shared with Ron at the Burrow. He was in a lavish room with a king sized bed and a large window over looking an apple orchard. Katie's family had gone against Dumbledore's wishes to make sure he wasn't without support. He was at McCarran Manor, a simply humongous mansion where Katie lived. His friends had wanted to help, but no one wanted to go against Dumbledore's orders. Katie knew that he needed help and didn't care what she had to do to help him, even if it meant defying Dumbledore. Harry was glad. He hated that Dumbledore had wanted him isolated. Harry looked out the window and saw a figure standing by the orchard. It was Katie. Harry Got up and went outside. He came up be hind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He loved her with all his heart. He kissed her neck as she stroked his face. They found each other's lips.

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A/N: Did you like it? Please R&R! The next chapter with be the beginning of 6th year, not just him reminiscing.


	2. Last Day

Hey everyone sorry it took awhile to update! Thanks Dirt Rider 712 for the correct spelling of Metamorphmagus. I was writing the first chapter at 2 AM and was to tired to look it up. Well now its only 11:00PM! Hurray! Also thanks Korrag for pointing out my little math mistake! (it was 2 AM…..Lol)

You are probably wondering why it has been so long since I have written. There is a simple answer for this: I completely forgot. I am completely swamped during the school year and would forget to eat if my parents weren't around. Now that I have my own computer (I'm starting college in the fall) it will be easier to update…I hope. Lol but here we go!

I don't think I gave you enough info about Katie in the first chapter, so I'm going to start with a short bio.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Katie McCarran Bio:

Katie comes from an old pure blood German family (IDK if the name is German, just roll with it). Their manor is in Germany, and the whole family speaks German. Katie and her brothers only have light German accents while their parents speak with a thicker accent. Her parent's names are Lady Victoria McCarran and Lord Richard McCarran. Lady McCarran is well known for being a charms expert while Lord McCarran is a famous Diplomat between ministries and countries. She has 2 brothers, Sean who is a year older, and Timmy, who is 5 and ½ years younger. Katie and Lady McCarran are both Metamorphmaguses. One of Katie's defining traits is her love for music (classical). She plays many instruments, sings, and writes music. Before she met Harry she couldn't have one moment that wasn't scheduled or filled with something to do, which is why she excelled in many different things, like quidditch, music, riding, and school subjects. Her behavior was almost obsessive. Being friends with Harry, Ron, and Hermione helped her loosen up considerably, though she does still have workaholic tendencies. Her birthday is March 6th. (I'm not going to give a year)

Harry opened his eyes as the sun came through the grand window and shone across his luxurious bed. He sighed. It was August 31st, the last day of his summer with Katie at McCarran Manor. He was not looking forward to the stresses of homework, teachers, and students that he would encounter at Hogwarts, not to mention the extra "protection" the ministry was sending to escort him to King's Cross the next day. Harry shuddered at the thought of a bunch of Aurors following him around. With that in his mind Harry resolved to do his best to make the day great, and that meant being with Katie. They made plans the day before to take 2 horses from the stables and ride down to the lake that was on the property for a picnic. Harry wasn't sure how he would be a horseback riding, but Katie told him not to worry, he would be fine. _Don't worry_….He had realized more this summer than ever before that Katie was the one who needed to worry less. She worried about everything and everyone. She hated to feel helpless or useless. Over the course of the summer Harry had lost count of the number of times he had found her asleep at her desk in the morning with summer school work, defense books, and articles from the Prophet scattered around her. He tried to reassure her, but nothing seemed to completely put her at ease.

There was a soft knock on the door. Harry stretched, got out of bed, and opened the door. One of the many house elves who lived and worked at McCarran Manor stood before him. Unlike other house elves Harry had seen before the house elves the McCarran's had were well fed, wore neat clean uniforms, and were extremely happy. This one, whose name was Poppy, said "Good morning Master Harry! Mistress McCarran has asked me to tell you that breakfast is ready and will be served in the dining room in 10 minutes."

"Thank you Poppy" said Harry. "Is Katie awake yet?"

"Not yet, I am going to wake her now." Replied Poppy.

"I'll do it if you don't mind" Poppy pondered the idea for a moment before agreeing and heading back to the kitchens to help serve breakfast. This was something Harry loved about the elves here; they weren't afraid to tell you what they thought or enforce a rule against a witch or wizard. Hermione would adore it. Harry quickly got dressed and made his way down the hall to Katie's room. On the way he passed a table that held a bunch of pictures on it. He remembered when he had first seen it, the day after he had arrived at the manor.

_**FLASHBACK**_

_Harry had been wandering around the manor aimlessly when he stumbled across the table of photos. On closer inspection he noticed most were of Katie. There was one of Katie in the music room of the house, playing a song on the piano under the watchful eye of a music tutor, one of her doing some complex looking ballet moves with the assistance of a dance instructor, and one of Katie being shown the proper way to saddle a horse by yet another instructor. All of the pictures on the table were of lessons, all but a few of Katie. The others were of her brothers, Sean and Timmy, older and younger than her respectively. However, they looked far less enthusiastic than Katie in the photos. Katie had a look of wonder in her photos, enjoying learning something new. The boys on the other hand looked quite bored, as if it was all a waste of time, no matter what they were doing. "Katie always vas the one who liked to stay busy" Harry jumped as Katie's mother, Victoria McCarran, spoke behind him. "The amazing thing is she stuck vith everything. Never vonce did she get bored and drop an activity" Mrs. McCarran said. "I vish her brothers had been the same way, but hopefully they vill outgrow the fickleness that causes them to drop lessons from boredom". She paused and then smiled at him "Ve vorry about her overvorking herself. She just never grasped the idea of taking a break. But then she met you." Lady McCarran drew her eyes from the photos and looked at Harry straight on. "You help her actually see the vorld, rather than just vatch as it rushes by. No vone but you has ever been able to get her to slow down. I don't think there is anyone better for her than you, Harry." _

_Harry was speechless for a moment before stuttering "Th-thank you m'am. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for Katie." Lady McCarran smiled knowingly and simply said "Nor she for you."_

_**END FLASHBACK**_

Harry reached Katie's room and lightly knocked on the door. When he didn't get a response he knocked again, a little harder. This times he heard a tired sounding voice say "Nur noch fünf Minuten" Harry had become almost fluent in German from the sheer amount of exposure over the summer, so he knew that Katie was saying "Just 5 more minutes".

He chuckled quietly to himself and said through the door "Come on Katie! IF we don't hurry we will miss breakfast!" Upon hearing Harry's voice Katie seemed to wake up all the way. Harry heard her yawn and let out a short laugh. Harry stepped back as Katie opened her door. Even having just woken up she looked pretty. Her hair was long again, and she had made it dark brown with red in it, like mahogany. At the moment it was mussed up and all over the place. Her cheeks were flushed as she smiled up at him (Harry is a few inches taller). They came together for a quick kiss and Harry said "Good morning sleepy head"

Katie simply smiled and said "Good Morning. Are you ready for the best last day of summer ever?"

"I couldn't be more ready"

"Good!" Katie gave him a big smile. " I'll be ready for breakfast in just a second. Do you vant to vait for me?"

"You know I do"

Katie simply kissed him again and stepped aside to let him in the room. Katie's room was much like to room Harry had been staying in, large and luxurious. But there were differences. Katie's room was a summery lavender color, and everything in the room corresponded perfectly, nothing clashed. Like Harry's room, this on had an adjoining bathroom and walk in closet, where Katie had just gone to get dressed in private. The biggest difference was that there was another door in Katie's room. Harry knew that it lead to her music room. The room held dozens of instruments, all of which Katie could play or was teaching herself to play. Harry peeked in there now and could see Katie's pride and joy, her baby grand piano. She could sit and play for hours. She had played for Harry on several occasions, and he could tell as he watched her play that it made her truly happy.

"Ready?"

Harry turned to see Katie dressed in shorts and a flowery top. Her hair was brushed and neatly braided. She didn't bother to put on makeup. He walked over to her and took her hand. Smiling he said "Who was waiting for who?"

Katie just laughed. Harry loved it when she laughed. It was like listening to beautiful bells, and the room seemed to light up. Together they walked out of the room and down the hall and stairs to the dining room.

Before they even reached the dining room Harry could smell the delicious food. Usually during the summer Harry was forced to live on whatever meager rations the Dursley's allowed him. Of course when he was at the Weasley's Mrs. Weasley would let him leave the table without eating 4 helpings, but this was different. At McCarran Manor every meal was like a feast. He could eat as much or as little as he wished, though he usually ate plenty, When he and Katie walked into the dining room Harry could see that the kitchen elves had out done themselves for the last day of summer. There were piles of Belgian waffles, Fresh bread, boiled eggs, and a seemingly endless array of delicious breakfast foods, many traditional German foods and the rest simple yet delicious dishes seen all over the world. Harry could feel his mouth begin to water as he and Katie sat down. Katie's family was already seated, her father at the head of the table and her mother to the right of him. Her brothers were next to each other on the left side of the table. Lord McCarran looked up from his paper when they sat. Lord McCarran did not read the Prophet after all the propaganda that was spread while Fudge was minister of magic, the paper he was holding was an international paper called _The Pensieve_.

Lord McCarran greeted them with "Guten Morgen vertraue ich Ihnen, dass beide gut geschlafen haben?" (Good morning, I trust you both slept well?) Once Harry had gotten good at German Katie's father insisted he speak it as often as possible, as being bilingual is a definite asset.

After a split second translation in his head Harry replied with " Ja Herr, vielen Dank" (Yes sir, thank you) as Katie said "Selbstverständlich Vater" (Of course Papa) Lord McCarran nodded and went back to his paper and meal. The room was comfortably quiet. The McCarrans didn't feel the need to fill every moment with talk, especially in the morning with everyone was still waking up. They were able to just sit and enjoy each other's company. It was surprisingly refreshing.

The meal went by quickly as Harry devoured the scrumptious food. He and Katie finished at about the same time. Of course as soon as they were done a house elf came to clear their plates. The Katie turned to Harry and said "Ready to go?

"I just need to grab my backpack from upstairs then I will be." Katie had told him to bring his broom and a bathing suit since they were going to a lake.

"Me too." Katie then turned to her mother and said "Mutter Harry und ich werden hinunter am See sein. Wir nehmen zwei Pferde und wir nehmen ein Picknickmittagessen." (Mama Harry and I will be down at the lake. We are taking two horses and we are taking a picnic lunch.)

"Bleiben Sie nicht gut, draußen zu spät, erinnern Sie sich an Sie beide sein müssen auf früh morgen." (Ok, don't stay out to late, remember you both have to be up early tomorrow.)

Katie smiled and nodded at her mother, then grabbed Harry's hand and practically sprinted up the stairs. Her excitement was contagious. Harry couldn't wait to get going.

**What do you think? I hope to update again this week, so pray for no writers block!**


	3. The Lake

Guten Tag readers! You may have noticed that my chapters aren't very long, and truth be told I will probably never post super long ones. I like to keep them around 2 to 3 thousand words.

Ok I know I said I would be getting to Hogwarts, but that won't happen until next chapter. This is going to be Katie and Harry's outing to the lake and maybe getting to the train station. Oh and I don't think that I will be changing words to fit a German accent anymore, just use your imagination and remember that Katie and her whole family are German.

Please review! I'm still new at writing stories like this and would love feedback. Enjoy!

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Harry and Katie split up at the top of the stair and ran to their rooms. Harry immediately went to the chest at the end of his bed where the nap sack Katie had gotten him for his birthday sat, packed and ready to go. It was made out of fine leather, the Potter crest was imprinted on it, and it had an enlargement charm on the inside so everything, including his broom, could fit easily and safely.

Harry quickly went back to the top of the stairs where he could see Katie already waiting. When he reached the stairs they descended together. They walked out the double doors of the manor and toward the stables. The stables were fairly large and clean and held around 20 horses. Harry could see that 2 had already been saddled and were waiting for them. He felt a twinge of nervousness as they approached the large creatures. He had never ridden a horse before.

"Why are we taking horses if we have our brooms?" Harry asked.

Katie smirked and replied teasingly "Because it's fun! Why, are you scared?"

"Of course not!...should I be?"

*Laughing* "Of course not silly! You will be great and you will get to see how fun it is!"

Katie took Harry's hand and led him to one of the horses. It was grey with some darker grey spots on parts of its body and a white spot on its forehead. It looked fairly gentle and was waiting patiently as they approached. Katie took Harry's hand from her own and placed it on the horse's snout. "This is Sonny. He is one of our older geldings and is very gentle and experienced. There is absolutely NO way that you could have problems with him. He is one of the family horses." Katie then walked over to the other saddled horse, which was pure black and seemed more fidgety. "This is my horse Fantasia. As you probably noticed she is a little more…excited. She is a good girl, but needs a bit of a firm hand to guide her. Now just watch what I do to get in the saddle."

Harry watched closely as Katie put her foot in the stirrup and hoisted herself up and put her other leg over the saddle so she was in a seated position. After she did this Katie motioned for Harry to do the same. Harry hesitated for a moment but then did what Katie showed him. Once up in the saddle Harry mimicked how Katie had her feet and hands. Katie looked at him approvingly and said "Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

"You don't have anything to worry about Harry, we will start out slow."

Katie gave Fantasia a little kick and started out of the stables. Sonny automatically followed, for which Harry was grateful. They slowly made their way up and into the apple orchards beyond the manor and outbuildings. Harry slowing got used to the swaying movement of the horse, and he had to say he was enjoying himself. The sun was out and there was a light breeze, making the weather absolutely perfect, and riding the horse was surprisingly therapeutic in Harry's opinion. Katie was riding in tandem with Harry and was peering at him with a satisfied look on her face; she was glad he was happy. But now it was time to step things up.

"So, Harry, do you think you are ready for the next step?"

Harry gulped "And just what would that be?"

Katie grinned "Trotting"

"…which means?"

"Going faster"

"I'm good thanks"

"Oh come on! I promise you'll like it and its fun! Pleeeeeeeeeeese?"

Katie pouted and looked at him pleadingly. Harry sighed. How could he say no to that?

"Ok, what do I have to do?"

"Oh it's nothing difficult. Just give Sonny a light kick on both sides. Not to hard mind you, or he will go much faster than you would like at the moment."

Katie immediately demonstrated what she meant. With a light kick she and Fantasia set off at a slightly quicker pace. The movement seemed more bouncy, but still manageable.

'Well here goes nothing' Harry thought to himself. He lightly kicked Sonny's sides and braced himself. Sonny began trotting. For Harry, who was stiff as a bored, this started out as quite uncomfortable, until Katie called to him to loosen up and bounce in rhythm with the movement. After that Harry felt much better, and once again had to admit that this was more fun than he expected. While he would always be a broom rider at heart, he could see himself doing this again.

Harry looked around as he and Katie trotted on the trail. They had left the orchard and were now in the forest. Sunlight poured through the trees. He could hear animals and birds going about their daily business. And to think he had almost been stuck at the Dursley's again this summer, where he would be seeing the inside of his small living quarters and the little sunlight his window allowed. He would have been completely alone with his thoughts, especially since Dumbledore ordered everyone not to contact him in anyway. Even though the McCarran's had disobeyed Harry still hadn't gotten any letters from Ron, Hermione, or anyone from the Order. He couldn't blame them to much though; he knew all too well that it could be difficult to disobey Dumbledore. Harry shuddered to think what his summer was like if all he had to do all day was think about what had happened at the ministry…what had happened to Sirius. Luckily he had been kept busy, a purpose effort by Katie, so he couldn't dwell on the matter much.

With Harry lost in his thoughts he didn't notice when he and Katie emerged from the forest and walk on to a large open field. They were almost to the lake. Katie took this opportunity kick Fantasia into a cantor, which Sonny immediately followed. Harry was suddenly shaken from his reverie when he felt Sonny take off after Katie and Fantasia. He clung on for dear life at first. This was nothing like riding a broom. Rather than going straight and smooth like a broom Harry had to deal with a strong constant up and down movement. However, after a moment, he saw that it wasn't too different from trotting. If he kept his body in rhythm with Sonny then he felt much more secure and despite his scowl for Katie surprising him like that he was enjoying this immensely.

Finally they made it to the lake. It was beautiful. The lake itself was slightly larger than a quidditch pitch, with clear blue water and a little sandy beach. Harry could also see rocks that had obviously been used for jumping into the water and a rope that had been set up for swimmers to swing from. Harry could see trees lining the other side of the lake which cast perfect reflections in the perfectly calm water.

Harry steered Sonny towards Katie and Fantasia. Katie was dismounting and Harry was sure to watch closely so he could do it without problems. Once they were both on the ground and had put their nap sacks and picnic basket on the ground Katie took the saddles and blankets off the horses and showed Harry how to quickly brush them to get off any sweat. After that they left the horses to graze. Katie assured Harry that they wouldn't run off without them.

Harry and Katie walked hand in hand toward a large willow tree that was near the water and set down their bags. Katie then turned to him, gestured tot the lake and said "well, what you think?"

Since the Dursely's never took him on vacation with them this was the first time Harry had ever seen anything like this. It really wasn't much like the lake at Hogwarts, and he was positive there was no giant squid in this lake. The whole area was peaceful, a blessing for anyone caught up in the war with Voldemort.

"It's incredible"

At that Katie smiled and kissed Harry sweetly. "I'm glad you like it, now come on! Let's go swimming!"

The rest of the day was fabulous. It was like Harry had always imagined a vacation would be like, only better. He and Katie swam, raced brooms over the water, ate delicious food underneath the willow tree, and talked about everything. It was the distraction from the world and its problems that both Harry and Katie needed.

The day was quickly coming to an end as the sun set. Katie's family expected them to come back for dinner. Harry sighed as he and Katie lay beneath the willow tree in each other's arms. They didn't want the moment to end, but sadly they knew the time to leave had come. They got up and Katie saddled the horses. They rode in tandem back to the manor, neither of them uttering a word, simply enjoying being together. It was hard to believe that the next day they would be heading back the Hogwarts, back to the war. But there were good things about leaving too. They would see the friends whose company Dumbledore had deprived Harry, and subsequently Katie, of, and they would do their part to win this war and avenge those whose lives had been drastically cut short. IT was nice to forget for a while, but now there was work to do.

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_A/N: So there it is! It's a little shorter than I had planned, but that's writers block for you. If it hadn't been for that (and having my grad party) This would have been up last weekend, Oh well its up now! Please review, I was a bit disappointed by the lack of reviews from my last chappy. If this is revenge for not updating for 2 years then ok, you got me, but now it's time for reviews!_

_I will do my best to update ASAP. I'm in the midst of preparing for college, and things are busy, but the show must go on!_


	4. author's note

My dear readers,

First of all, sorry if this may psych some of you into thinking I've updated. I'm working on I but its still a work in progress. I am furiously trying to avoid this becoming a Mary Sue OC so I may be doing some editing. I will update ASAP (I have a slight case of writers block). And if anyone has any suggestions on anything please review and tell me. I'm trying to write a story I would want to read, but I want it to be something that anyone could enjoy. Its quite possible that my taste in stories is a little…weird…and may need to be edited to work for you guys.

I solemnly swear that I will NOT wait 2 years before updating again, as I may or may not have done in the past.

Read and review!

-GryffindorGirl36


	5. King's Cross and the Hogwarts Express

I'm gonna skip the chit chat and just get one with it. Here we go!

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It would be an understatement to say that Harry was frustrated. This so called "Protection" was getting on his last nerve. After assuring them it was ok Katie's family had gone ahead onto the platform: it was Timmy's first year and they wanted to be there early. So Harry and Katie had been left to wait for the Aurors at the station's entrance. From the moment they had arrived it was clear this wouldn't be fun. The 2 men had very serious expressions and had immediately set up a close formation on either side of Harry, nearly sending Katie sprawling to the ground in the process. Only Harry quickly grabbing her hand kept her up right. Katie's resulting glare at the men brought the term "if looks could kill" to Harry's mind.

The aurors didn't waste any time with pleasantries, not even bothering to introduce themselves. One of they simply began walking through the station to the platform, not giving Harry and Katie any option but to follow. People stared as the 2 no-nonsense men plowed through crowds to get to platforms 9 and 10. The auror on Harry's right made to steer him towards the platform but Harry snapped "I can walk thanks" Harry motioned for Katie to go ahead of him, then followed without looking back after she disappeared through the brick wall.

When he emerged Harry saw the normal crowds bustling about the platform, however this year they all stopped and stared when he appeared. Harry could feel their eyes boring into him. Many looked on with awe, others with pity. A large amount of girls looked entranced, staring openly at him.

Katie's parents were a short way off talking to Hermione's parents. Harry saw no red heads on the platform so the Weasleys hadn't arrived yet. Katie and Harry walked over briskly with the aurors hot on their tails. The aurors' attitudes made it seem like they thought that Deatheaters were going to pop in at any moment and attack. More than anything Harry wanted them to back off a bit. He isn't helpless and they aren't in a danger zone, so why were they being so obnoxious? When they got closer Harry saw Hermione notice them with smile, then see the aurors and raise one eyebrow. She seemed to share Harry's feelings on their attitude.

Katie and Harry felt conflicted over seeing everyone. These are the same people who had wanted to keep Harry isolated all summer and had stopped answering Katie's letters when he arrived at her home. They, especially Harry, felt hurt and betrayed. On the flip side they understood that it can be hard to disobey Albus Dumbledore. Katie's distance from Dumbledore's area of influence (her family lives in Germany) has diluted some of the awe that many get around him. Hermione and the Weasleys held Dumbledore in the highest regard, almost like a god. Even if they disagreed with him they obeyed him almost without question. It was hard to be completely mad at them. The biggest factor of how their reunion would go would be what they said to Harry about the whole situation.

Hermione, after her initial smile, seemed to remember what had happened over the summer. Looks of guilt and remorse flashed across her face. It was a good sign, she felt bad over the orders she had been given and had obeyed. Harry was now standing right in front of her and the adults had stopped talking to see what would happen between the estranged teens.

Hermione swallowed uneasily. "He-Hello Harry, Hi Katie"

There was a moment of silence before Harry responded. "Hey Hermione"

Harry gave a small grin and the atmosphere immediately lightened up. Hermione visibly loosened up and smiled at the young couple. "I really missed you both"

Katie was the one to respond to that. "We can talk about our summers on the train so we might have a little…privacy"

It was then that Harry realized that everyone around them was watching and listening intently to their conversation. He scowled, damn nosy-

"Oi! Harry! Katie! Hermione!"

Harry turned to see Ron jogging towards them. He seemed urgent in his need to get over to them. When he reached them he started "Look mate I'm really sorry about-"

Harry interrupted quietly "We can talk on the train; there are too many eavesdroppers here"

Ron gazed around and saw what Harry meant. "Er- right then. Well its…it's good to see you mate."

Harry was relieved that both Ron and Hermione regretted their actions. Good to know that they still supported him after the…incident…at the Department of Mysteries.

The train whistle blew then, 5 minutes until it was time to leave. Goodbyes were said quickly and they got on the train. Ron and Hermione entered first, followed by Harry. When Harry made it into the narrow corridor he found himself surrounded on all sides by mesmerized girls.

Katie ran into his back when he stopped. "Harry, what's wrong? Why did you—" She cut off when she looked around him and saw what was going on. The smallest hint of a scowl crossed her lips; she didn't like how these girls were looking at her boyfriend. Katie grabbed Harry's hand and lightly pulled him in the direction Ron and Hermione had gone. When the girls saw what Katie was doing they moved out of her way. No one wanted to mess with her. That is, except for one girl with long dark hair who stood in Katie's way. The dark haired girl had a strange look on her face, like she wanted to fight Katie right then and there

Katie wasn't deterred. "Excuse me" she said sweetly "May we go through?"

It was phrased as a request but there was no doubt it was a demand.

There was a tense moment when Harry was sure the girl would refuse, but she slowly moved out of the way, never taking her eyes off of Katie. Katie walked forward without looking at the girl, pulling Harry with her. When Harry passed the Dark haired girl she leaned in towards him and said "My name's Romilda, I'll _see you around_" Harry didn't know one sentence could hold so much…suggestion.

Katie spun on the spot and glared at Romilda. The girls glared at each other. Katie then spoke "I don't know if you knew this, _Romilda,_ but Harry and I are together. We have been for 2 years. I would appreciate it if you didn't throw yourself at him. Am I perfectly clear?"

This was bad. With every word she said her accent became more prominent; if she became anymore angry she would stop speaking English all together. Katie had a bit of a temper, though it was hard to provoke her. Romilda had pushed all the right buttons, especially after the frustrating morning with the aurors. Harry squeezed her hand and gave her a warning look, trying to tell her it isn't worth it.

Katie took the hint. They walked away, knowing full well Romilda was looking after them.

* * *

30 Minutes later:

Ron, Hermione, Harry and Katie were sitting in their compartment laughing at something Ron had said. When Harry and Katie had found them after the Romilda incident they had launched into a series of apologies and, refreshingly, no excuses. Harry and Katie had both forgiven them. After that they relaxed and began chatting about the usual things; summer work, quidditch, and, of course, what this new school year would bring for them. Normally Katie's friend Catherine would have joined them but after the battle at the Department of Mysteries her family had moved to Italy so Catherine and her siblings were attending school there. Katie missed her dearly, but understood why they moved and still stayed in constant contact.

Harry was currently studying Ron. Ron didn't look well. His normally vibrant red hair was dull and he had bags under his eyes. Ron was obviously trying to hide behind an overly cheerful demeanor. Something was wrong.

"Hey Ron, is everything all right? You look a little…off"

Ron turned quickly to look at Harry, startled.

"Uh-ya! I mean…" Ron sighed "Well I guess there is no reason to hide it. Its…its Ginny."

That most certainly wasn't the response Harry, or either of the girls for that matter, was expecting.

"Ever since she was possessed she has, well, she's changed. It started out only a little so my parents thought it was just stress from what happened. They said to give her time, but it has only gotten worse. Especially over the past year or so. "

Words began spilling out of Ron's mouth faster and faster.

"She is increasingly irrational, overly possessive over her things, shuts herself in her room for hours, and-" Ron gulped "I hear her muttering to herself sometimes. Never loud enough for me to understand what she is saying though."

The compartment was silent. Ron looked at his three friends, his eyes showing his desperation and need for support.

"Is—is there anything we could do?"

Harry was a bit surprised to hear Katie say this. Ginny had done and said some pretty horrible things to her since third year so he didn't expect Katie to want to help the girl. Ron and Hermione looked a bit taken aback as well.

"N-not really, but thanks. Me an' the twins have talked it over and we think it was all started by that damned diary" Ron clenched his fists as he recalled all that had happened second year. "Mum and dad are still trying to deny anything is wrong. They don't want to believe that their only daughter is…unstable. But I overheard them one night talking about possibly Ginny being 'checked out' at St. Mungo's. I'm hoping that they will realize soon that she needs help"

Harry's chest felt tight. He had seen how Ginny had been acting over the years since he had rescued her from the Chamber, but didn't have much to base it against since he didn't know her very well before that. He hadn't seen how desperate the Weasley's had been getting. He wanted to help.

"Ron, if I can do anything please, PLEASE let me know. I want to help. And if it comes down to St. Mungo's I'll be happy to foot the bill" Harry saw that Ron was about to interject so he cut him off "No Ron I'm serious. Your family has done so much for me and I want to do anything I can to return the favor"

Ron was speechless. He opened and closed his mouth a few times but didn't manage to make any words, so Harry simply said "Don't mention it mate"

Katie smiled up at him from her position on his right. She squeezed his hand and whispered into his ear "Wie hat ich schaffe es gemacht, so einen großen Burschen als mein Freund zu erhalten?" (How did I manage to get such a great guy as my boyfriend?)

Harry just smiled back and whispered back "Sie sind nur glücklich ich errate" (You are just lucky I guess)

Katie just chuckled and leaned against him. That is when Hermione piped up and asked "When did you learn German Harry?"

"It's actually not too hard to learn a language when you are almost completely immersed in it" Harry replied. This of course led to a discussion about languages that thankfully took their minds away from somber subjects. Katie and Harry proceeded to teach Ron and Hermione a few simple words in German. They were having a nice time until the door to their compartment suddenly banged open, revealing Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle.

"Well look who it is. Potter I have to say I'm surprised you decided to show your face. Shouldn't you be off crying about your dead Godfather?"

Harry felt rage begin to boil within him. "You better watch it Malfoy"

"Oh, I'm positively shaking." He turned to Katie, looked her up and down, and gave a fiendish grin. "McCarran, are you still wasting your time with these losers? I would be happy to remind you of the finer points of being pureblood, and surely you don't want your blood line polluted by a halfblood like Potter. All you would have to do is come with me now and give me a peek at whats under those robes."

Both Harry and Harry jumped up from their seats, with Hermione and Ron not far after. Katie's face turned bright red and she looked at Malfoy with a look that was a combination of rage and revulsion. She didn't look like she could find the words to express exactly what she wanted to say. At the same time Harry raised his wand and said "Bugger off Malfoy. No one here is going to put up with your shit."

Malfoy was about to answer when Harry heard a voice from the corridor "Is there a problem here?"

Malfay whirled around to be faced with Tonks. Harry realized she must have been stationed in the express by the ministry. There were probably more patrolling the train, making sure no one had brought anything or anyone dangerous aboard. She was currently giving Malfoy and his goons a look that said she meant business.

Malfoy had wanted a fight, but not with a trained Auror. "Crabbe, Goyle lets get out of here" He snapped. He then turned and walked back down the corridor, Crabbe and Goyle following him obediently.

Tonks looked after them until they were gone. Then she turned to Harry and the others with a grin and said "Well circumstances aside I'm glad I found you guys. It's good to see you all."

Harry nodded to her then turned to Katie, who was still shaking with anger from the comments Malfoy made. He took her hand and sat her down. "Hey, don't listen to anything Malfoy says. He is just trying to mess with you, throw you off balance. He isn't worth a second thought"

Ron, Hermione, and Tonks (Who had walked up when Malfoy was making the comment to Katie and had heard them) were looking at her sympathetically. Seeing this Katie composed herself and said "Thanks everyone. For standing up for me." She didn't let go of Harry's hand though. He gave is a reassuring squeeze.

"I will make sure he and his little toadies don't come back this way again" Tonks assured them. "I wish I could stay and chat, but I have to report in about 3 minutes. Hopefully we can talk soon."

They bid farewell to the Metamorphmagus and closed and locked the compartment door. Once they had all calmed down more from their encounter with the Slytherins they slowly resumed the conversation they were having before. Harry was explaining how Katie's father spoke in nothing but German to him after about 2 weeks of being at McCarran Manor when there was a soft knock at the door. Ron warily opened it to see a Ravenclaw prefect that they had seen around but didn't know personally.

"Granger, Weasley prefects meeting in 5 minutes. Yous should head over to the car now. McCarran and Potter I have messages for you." The Ravenclaw handed them 2 small, identical scrolls, nodded and walked away.

Harry turned to Ron and Hermione "Ok so for now we are going to ignore the fact that both of you neglected to tell us you are prefects since you have to leave. Besides, I want to know what these messages are"

Katie quickly unrolled hers and read it. "It's a lunch invitation from…who is Professor Slughorn?"

* * *

A/N:

A baby cliffy felt like a good place to end for now. Sorry for the delay, but I am in college now and don't have a lot of free time. Sometimes I would open the file, write one sentence, and then have to save and do something else. It will probably be a while before the next chapter, but I'll do my best to be prompt. How do you like the story so far? PLEAS REVIEW!


	6. Slughorn's Lunch

Hello once again readers! I really hope you liked the last chapter. I know I had said we would be at Hogwarts by now, but I keep getting sidetracked by ideas that pop into my head as I'm writing. Now in this chapter I will be introducing Slughorn, and I hope to have some fun with it! Enjoy!

P.S. Have you all seen the new Harry Potter movie? Saw it at midnight and LOVED it!

Harry and Katie walked hand in hand toward the train car the invitation had instructed them to go.

"Who do you think this Slughorn guy is?" asked Katie, her face showing her apprehension of going into this unfamiliar situation.

"Probably a new professor. Someone has to replace Umbridge."

"True"

They were silent as they kept walking. Harry could see the entrance to the private car where they would be having lunch with this Slughorn character and, according to the invitation, several other students. Many questions went through his head: Why were he and Katie invited? Who would the other students be? And would people like Malfoy be there?

They reached the door and Katie reached out and opened it. It became apparent as they walked in that they were the last to arrive, as there was a large round table taking up most of the space in the car with all seats but two occupied. Everyone who was already seated turned and looked at them. Harry wasn't entirely sure what to say, luckily he was saved from saying anything at all when the very fat man who must be Slughorn said "And you must be Mister Potter and Ms. McCarran! Come in and join us you two!" The two open seats were on Slughorn's right and, thankfully, next to each other. As they made their way to the seats Harry noticed that Katie was peering around intently at the other students present. Harry was surprised to see Neville, who gave a small wave. Harry and Katie had just reached their seats when Katie had a look of realization cross her face. She turned to him and whispered in German "Er ist ein Sammler" (He is a collector)

Harry simply gave her a questioning look and she continued "Die ganzen Studenten haben hier reiche oder einflussreiche Familien" (All the students here have rich or influential families)

Now Harry understood. Slughorn had invited students who would be most likely to gain power in the future. He wanted connections and seemed to have a lot of practice at getting them. Also, from the way Slughorn was beaming at him, Harry was to be the star of his collection.

"Harry my boy, it is good to finally meet you! I have heard much about you over the years. And of course you too, Ms. McCarran. Professor Flitwick and Professor McGonagall have sung your praises all summer."

Katie quickly slipped into what Harry called "diplomat mode" She had a polite look of interest on her face but didn't give away what she was thinking. Harry knew that this came from being exposed to politics from a young age due to her father's profession. She gave Slughorn a small smile then looked down at the empty plate in front of her. It made her appear very innocent, which was her goal. She didn't want Slughorn to suspect she was on to his game. Harry knew that it was best if he didn't either.

45 minutes later

This lunch was interesting to say the least. There was a distinct lack of Deatheater children, but no one was complaining. Slughorn had questioned all of them about their studies and their lives, subtly asking about their parents and people they had connections with. He had gone around the table to each individual person. Over time Harry was able to tell when Slugorn was pleased or not with what he heard. When one boy that his famous uncle and his father weren't on speaking terms Slughorn's nose wrinkled slightly, though his smile never left his face. When a large boy named Cormac McLaggen mentioned close relations with the minister he raised his eyebrows a little and he would nod his head, as if making a mental checklist. He came to Katie and Harry last. He raved over Katie's "charming accent" and asked about her family's travels around the world. Slughorn quickly realized that Katie wasn't going to be as open as the others and stuck to very general questions, but it didn't seem to deter him at all. If anything, he seemed delighted. At last he came to Harry.

"So Mr. Potter, I must admit I have been looking quite forward to meeting you! I hear you are a remarkable seeker, am I right?"

"uh…I'm alright I guess"

"Oh don't be so modest! Youngest seeker in a century you are! That is something to be proud of my boy. Of course, you have many great things to be proud of"

Harry wasn't quite sure how to respond to this. Luckily Slughorn plowed into more questions, even asking about Harry and Katie's relationship and commenting on how they "looked good" together. Harry followed Katie's lead and kept the answers vague and his expression polite. By the time it was over he hadn't reveled anything personal and Slughorn looked as if he were playing his favorite game, which could actually be the case.

Slughorn pulled out a pocket watch and exclaimed "Oh my! Is it that late already? Well you had best be off then! I will most definitely be seeing you all soon"

Everyone said goodbye and exited the cabin. Once again Katie and Harry found themselves walking hand in hand down the corridor, this time going back to their cabin.

Katie quietly said to Harry "Ich erwarte dass wir von ihm wieder hören warden" (I expect we will be hearing from him again)

"Kein Zweifel darum" (No doubt about that)

The train began to slow. Harry and Katie got back to their cabin and looked out the window. They were back at Hogwarts once again.

A/N Short I know, but I have never been good at writing really long chapters I will def be trying to update more often, it's just hard to do that while I'm at school. Next chapter will include the feast and maybe the first day. At this point I will be really steering away from the actual storyline and establishing my own. Hopefully you will all like it!


	7. Back at Hogwarts

Goodness I haven't looked at this story in forever! I am now in my second year in college and I am so busy ALL the time, but I decided to pick this story back up and see what I can do with it. Enjoy!

* * *

The ride up to the castle was filled with questions, most being asked by Ron and Hermione, who had met up with Harry and Katie as they made their way to the carriages. They wanted to know about the lunch and had plenty of comments to make.

"So Harry, this Slughorn guy wants to be friends with students with connections?"

"Yes Hermione, and it seems like he has had lots of practice"

Hermione sat and pondered this for a moment, but Ron jumped right back in.

"Well no wonder he wanted you two there! Katie's family is bloody loaded, her mum is a famous author, and her dad is a diplomat. And Harry is, well, HARRY POTTER"

Katie smirked and teasingly said "Yes Ron, thank you for reminding us"

Ron's ears turned a little red but he just smiled and looked away.

The conversation strayed to more innocent things, how their summer vacations were, what they thought this year would be like, etc.

They eventually arrived at the castle and made their way to the Great Hall. Katie was getting jittery because she was anxious to see her little brother get sorted. The entire hall was filled with gossiping students, many of which openly stared at Harry, making him increasingly uncomfortable. Why won't they look away? Harry did his best to ignore them, though he was still on edge. Katie, Ron, and Hermione seemed to notice his discomfort and began glaring at everyone around them staring at Harry. No one stopped, but Harry appreciated the support.

The older students were settled not long after that and the first years were brought in. Harry immediately spotted Timmy in the group, looking around until he found both his brother and sister. Katie gave Timmy a reassuring smile as he walked passed them.

The sorting seemed to drag a bit this year. Some of the new students seemed really reluctant to put on the sorting hat, but slowly the group of first years got smaller. Finally it was Timmy putting on the old hat. He jumped when the hat yelled from on his head.

"Ah ha! I knew there was another one of you on the way! Now I have had the whole set! Now let's see, let's see…"

The hat pondered silently for a moment. Katie shifted nervously and squeezed Harry's hand. She really wanted Timmy to be in Gryffindor.

Finally the hat came to a decision. "Not surprisingly I have to say- GRYFFINDOR!"

A loud cheer rang from the Gryffindor table, Sean's signature whoop and Katie's own cheer standing out. Timmy sat by some other first years but flashed a big smile towards his siblings. He was happy with his sorting, that was for sure.

Next came the beginning of the year announcements. Dumbledore stood and his voice boomed magically over the hall.

"As you all know, we are facing a very dangerous time. More than ever we much look out for one another. I expect than from each and everyone one of you. Rivalries will do us no good now."

Such talk went on for a bit and the Dumbledore moved on to normal announcements about new rules and, as always, how the forbidden forest was, of course, forbidden.

"Lastly, I would like you all to welcome a returning professor, Professor Slughorn! With his arrival we will be having some switching of positions here. Professor Slughorn will be teaching potions, and Professor Snape will be taking over the Defense Against the Dark Arts classes."

Harry was shocked. Snape had finally gotten what he wanted. How could this happen? Why would the headmaster suddenly give Snape the job he had been denying him for years? Harry didn't know why Dumbledore trusted Snape so much. Harry would be even more on guard now. It was painful to think about his favorite class being run by his most hated professor.

Dumbledore seemed oblivious to the shocked silence in the room and finished off with "Now, let's eat!"

The speech was finished and the feast began, delicious food filling the platters in front of them. Harry exchanged looks with Ron, Hermione, and Katie. They looked alarmed, but no one seemed to want to discuss this new development. They all knew no one would listen to them. There was, unfortunately, nothing they could do. Harry shook his head. They would have to deal with any problems as them came.

Everyone else dug in and focused on the food, so much so that a lot of people stopped staring at Harry. What a relief! Without the eyes of his classmates on him he could relax a little. Or at least that what he thought until he saw someone sitting a bit apart from the other Gryffindors, near the back of the hall. It was Ginny, and she was staring at him intently. He suddenly remembered the nice little girl he had met at the burrow that summer before second year. She had been shy but so kind hearted and smart. He saw none of that now. Her stare was blank and slightly crazed. She didn't seem to be touching her food at all. Her stare was unnerving.

"Harry?"  
Harry started when he heard his name and turned back towards his friends. Katie had been trying to get his attention.

"Harry, are you alright? You spaced out for a moment."

"Uh, yeah I'm fine. Just tired."

That wasn't untrue, but Harry could see Ron, Hermione, and Katie look passed him and see Ginny. Ron looked sad and said "She really needs some help, but I don't know what to do."

Hermione out a hand on his shoulder and said "We will help you figure something out, Ron"

The quiet moment passed and the conversation strayed elsewhere. Hermione talked about her holiday in France with her family, Harry and Katie talked about riding horses, and Ron had endless stories about the twins' shenanigans. Before they knew it it was time for Ron and Hermione to gather the first years and lead them to the dormitories. As Timmy passed Katie whispered to him, "Du wirst es hier lieben! Und wenn Sie etwas brauchen nur zu kommen und mich finden." (You are going to love it here! And if you need anything just come and find me.)

Timmy smirked and replied "Nicht um mich keine Sorgen! Ich werde groß sein!" (Don't worry about me! I am going to be great!)

Harry watched as the first years moved out of sight and said to Katie "Well at least he's confident!"

Katie just laughed and said "Oh yes, he is nothing if not confident, but I think I'll keep an eye on him, just in case."

That being said, the couple made their way up to Gryffindor tower…or they tried to. They kept getting blocked by staring crowds and love-struck girls. They were both getting frustrated. After pushing through a group of Hufflepuffs who openly stared at Harry they realized that, at this rate, it would take forever to get to the tower. Then Harry remembered a secret passage he had seen on the Marauder's Map that would put them near the entrance to the tower. He pulled Katie down the corridor near the kitchens and found what he was looking for. There was a large tapestry depicting the founders of Hogwarts hanging from the wall. Harry pulled the corner aside and saw the passage behind it. He quickly ushered, following close behind her. Once in the passage he paused for a moment. When no one followed them in he sighed in relief. They hadn't been seen.

This was definitely one of the nicer secret passages. There was no rubble on the floor and it didn't appear that the ceiling was about to fall on them. They strolled slowly, hand in hand, down the passage. It was nice to finally be somewhere quiet, no one staring or even worse, making goo goo eyes at Harry.

They walked in silence until they were near the exit. Neither of them wanted to go back out into the crowds of students. Harry stopped and pulled Katie close to him. While they were alone they might as well take a moment to enjoy themselves. Harry bent over a bit and kissed Katie softly, running his hands through her long, soft hair. Katie wrapped her arms around his neck. Harry could feel her smiling as they kissed. He smiled too. He loved these little moments where they could be together.

They stayed in the passage for a while longer before they broke away from one another. As much as they both wanted to stay, neither of them wanted to get in trouble for being out past curfew on their first night back. Harry checked to make sure the coast was clear at the exit and then they proceeded towards the Fat Lady. They could tell they still had a little time before curfew as there were a couple of students still in the corridors.

The Fat Lady looked them up and down when they approached. Katie's hair was mussed and Harry's glasses were a bit askew. They both blushed and Katie quietly said "Hopping Hippogriffs". Harry hadn't believed it when Ron had said that was the new password, but sure enough, after giving them a knowing smirk, the Fat Lady's portrait swung open.

The common room was still full of people. The excitement of the sorting and the feast had everyone energized. Harry saw Timmy standing with the other first year boys crowding around what appeared to be a quidditch supplies catalog. Katie's other brother, Sean, was sitting with a few other seventh years by the fire place. Everyone was caught up in their own lives for once. Katie and Harry, for the moment, remained unnoticed. Katie spotted Hermione and Ron sitting in some chair towards the back of the room, near the stairs to the dormitories.

When Harry and Katie went over to join them Ron noticed their slightly disheveled features and waggled his eyebrows. Harry rolled his eyes but smiled. It was good to be back with his friends.

* * *

The next morning at breakfast was when all the students got their schedules. Despite Hermione and Katie's protests, Ron wouldn't let go of the idea that having free periods meant having lots of free time. He was in the middle of raving about how much time he would have to practice for quidditch tryouts when he stopped, "Wait… who is quidditch captain this year?"

Harry had completely forgotten about the little badge he had gotten over the summer telling him that he was the new captain, so he hadn't even mentioned it.

"Oh, right, that would be me."

Ron's eyes bulged when he heard this. He seemed rather speechless, at least for a moment. Then, surprisingly quiet, said, "Mate, I just want you to know I'm not expecting any special treatment at tryouts just cause we're friends. That wouldn't be fair."

Harry had had a similar conversation with Katie when he first got the badge, though Katie had originally said she wouldn't tryout at all. Harry had convinced her that wasn't the answer and had teasingly called her a drama queen. With Ron he said,

"Don't worry, you'll do so well I'll have no choice to put you on the team! Just relax Ron."

Ron smiled and opened his mouth to speak but was cut off when Professor McGonagall walked up to the group and said "Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, I couldn't help but notice that neither of you are enrolled in potions. Potter, I thought it was your intention to be an auror, you need potions for that."

Harry and Ron exchanged confused looks.

"Um, yeah it was, but I thought you needed an O on you OWLs to take NEWTs level potions, and I only got an E."

"Ah yes, I see. Well that was the case when Professor Snape was teaching potions, but now that Professor Slughorn is teaching the class he is more than happy to accept an E. Would you like me to add you to the class? And you as well Weasley?"

Harry nodded; this meant he still had the chance to become an auror! Ron hesitated, obviously thinking about having free time, but nodded as well. Then Harry realized something.

"Professor, neither of us has any text books, you know, since we didn't think…"

"There are extra books Potter. Just ask Professor Slughorn and he will make sure you both have the materials you need. Now, I have other students to attend to. In fact, Ms. McCarren, could I speak to you for a moment?"

Katie nodded and they walked down to a more secluded part of the hall, out of earshot. Ron turned to Harry. "Well…that was unexpected"

Harry grinned "Yeah, well I think it's brilliant! And who knows? Maybe potions will actually be enjoyable without Snape there to harass us."

Hermione was excitedly making plans for them all the study for potions together when Katie came back. She looked to be deep in thought. Harry wondered what McGonagall had said.

"Hey, what did McGonagall have to say?"

Katie snapped out of her thought, "It's about transfiguration. She wanted to know if I would be interested in helping with one of the topics, but I have to think about it. I told her I would let her know before our first class." She saw their questioning looks. "Sorry, I really shouldn't say more until I have made a decision."

Harry was really curious as to what McGonagall asked Katie to help with but didn't press her. If she wanted to talk about it she would bring it up later.

Hermione looked down at her schedule. "Oh, we had better get going. Potions starts soon and you two need to talk to Slughorn about books!"

They began walking towards the dungeons, all wondering what potions with Professor Slughorn would be like. No one knew what to expect.

* * *

A/N: So there it is! I really hope to actually keep up with this story now that I have decided to keep it and add to it. Hopefully my writing has gotten better since I first started it (I sure hope so considering I am in college now!)

I already have ideas for the next chapter Very excited!


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